Fluorescent lamp fixture



July l5, 1941. A '0- LOCKE 2,249,318

FLUORESCENT LAMP FIXTURE Filed Feb. l0, 1941 IVENTOR. A/ymfw d 0c/f5..

WW l' Patented lJuly 1'5, 1941 FLUonEsoEN'r LAMP Fix'runn Andrew 0.Locke, Denver, Colo., assignor to The Electron Corp., Denver, Colo., acorporation of f Colorado Application February 1o, 1941, serial No.378,239

(ci. 24o-vs) comms.

This invention relates to a uorescent light fixture. Such fixturesaredesigned to 4support one or more elongated fluorescent lamp tubesOand, heretofore, each iixture has been designed to support a givennumber of tubes.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple fixturewhich will be adaptable to support any desired number of tubes and yetwhich will have the appearance of having been designed for thatparticular number of tubes.

Such a construction greatly reduces the cost of manufacture since thesame component parts can be used in all fixtures regardless of the num--ber of uorescent tubes to be placed therein.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency.These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention referenceis hadto the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like rality ofscrew holes I I are formed in the arch plates I2 adjacent the slot I'Ifor the reception of attachment screws I5 for attaching the receptaclebrackets I3 in place. The receptacle brackets are standard equipment forfluorescent tube fixtures. They are provided with'enlarged basesy I8which prevent them from passing entirely through the slot I1 and areheld in place therein by means of' the screws I5.

' There are thirteen of the' screw holzs I4 uniformly spacedzin eacharch plate of t e fixture i illustrated. Thus, by employing every otherhole tubes from one to seven may be used in the same As illustrated,four ofy the uorescentnumerals refer to like parts in all views of the Idrawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a face view of the complete improved iixlturearranged to support four fluorescent tu es;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the end caps, tube and reflector removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectio through one extremity of theimproved fixture,

taken on-the line 3-3, Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section, taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 1; inthis view the fluorescent seven brackets may be placed in each slot I1as indicated in broken line in Fig. 4. By omitting the alternatebrackets, four can be uniformly spaced as indicated in solid line inFig. 4. By starting with second-hole at each side and by using theintermediate holes not used in Fig. 4, six brackets can be uniformlyspaced about the arch plates. Thus any number of fluorescent fixture..tubes 2l are used.

Adaptable spacing-plates I8 are provided with` each fixture. The platesare formed with a plurality ot spaced,l knock-out notches along one of'their edges, as indicated in broken line `in Fig. 5. vThese knock-out"notches are weakened portions which can be easily ybroken from the plateto vprovide receptacle bracket receiving notches I9 1n its edges. For aseven tube xture. the seven notches would be knocked out and for thefour tube xture, illustrated, four of the tubes have been removed forconvenience of illustration; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the spacing employed in the invention.

The` improved fluorescent light fixture is vmounted on a back `plateIII, which is preferably channel-shaped in cross section so that when inplace only -its edges contact `the supporting surface. At each extremityof the back plate, a

semi-circular end plate I I. is permanently welded or otherwise secured.An arch plate I2 isalso permanently secured at its extremities to theback plate I0 in spaced relation to each of the end Plates I I tooutline a receptacle slot I1. Thus the back plate I0, the end plates IIand the,

arch plates I2 form a single unitary member.

The width of thereceptacle slot I1 between the arch plates I2 and theend plates .I I is just suiilcient for the passage of the arm of atypical fluorescent tubereceptacle bracket I3. A pluplate notches wouldbe opened as illustrated. The

plate I 8 slips inside of the arch plate I2 to close the slot I1 betweenthe receptacle brackets and is fixedly secured in place therein by meansof the same screws I5 which hold the receptacle brackets I3 in place.Each spacing plate is pro- -vided with a screw hole 20 for each of itsknockout notches;

It can be .readily seen that with the above equipment a fixture can bequickly assembled to A hold any desired number of tubes in an artistic,

balanced arrangement.

After the socket members and the spacing plates are in place. a convexreflector plate 2| is secured over the entire assembly to conceal thescrews II and the holes I4. The reflector plate is secured along theflanged edges of the base member by means of suitable attachmentscrews22. After the tubes are in place over the reflector, suitable flangedend caps 23, having a.

semi-circular outline, are secured to each of the end plates I I bymeans of clamp nuts 24 threaded on studs 25 projecting from the endplates. 'I'he completed fixture will then present the appearance of Fig.1.

Each end plate is preferablyprovlded with three openings 26 forreceiving the standard starters for the tubes 21. The arch plates l2 arealso provided with openings 28 for receiving startersi- Thus; openingsare provided for any number of starter-scorrespondlng to the number oftubes to be used. These openings and thestarters therein will becompletely concealed ployed, this may be quickly and easily donebychanging the position of the receptacle brackets while the fixture is inplace.

Another advantage is that all fixtures in a given establishment will beuniform in appearance, even though they may vary in'the number offluorescent tubes employed.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein, it is desired .to be understood lthat the same maybe varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is each spacing plate beingprovided with notches in its edge for'the reception of said receptaclebrackets; and a curved reiiector plate'extending from side to side ofthe back plate and concealing the arch plates.

4. A lighting iixture for fluorescent tubes comprising: a back plate; anend plate secured to the back plate at each extremity thereof; an archplate secured to the back plate immediately inside of each of the endplates, there being a receptacle@ slot between each end plate and itsarch plate; a plurality of fluorescent tube receptacle bracketsprojecting outwardly through said slot; means for securing saidreceptacle brackets to the arch plates at any desired spacing; 'a curvedspacingplate fitted inside of each arch plate, each spacing platev beingprovided with notches in its edge for the reception of said receptaclebrackets; a curved reector plate extending from side to side of the backplate and concealing the arch plates; and semi-circular,

j inwardly-flanged, cap members secured to each end plate.' the flangethereof concealing vsaid receptacle brackets.

5. A lighting fixture forfluorescent tubes ccmprising: a back plate;semi-circular end plates claimed and desired secured by letters Patentis:

1. A lighting fixture for fluorescent tubes comprising: a back plate; anend plate secured to the back plate at each extremity thereof; an archplate secured to the back plate immediately inside of each of the endplates, there being a receptacle slot between each end plate and itsarch plate; means for securing fluorescent tube receptacle brackets ineach of said slots; and a reflector plate `extending between theopposite sides of the back plate and concealing the arch plates.

2. A lighting fixture for fluorescent tubes comprising: a back plate; anend plate secured to the back4V plate at each extremity thereof an archplate secured to the back plate immediately inside of each of the endplates, there being a receptacle slot between each end -plate and itsarch plate; a plurality of fluorescent tube receptacle bracketsprojecting outwardly through said slot; means for securing saidreceptacle brackets to the arch plates at any desired spacing; and acurved reflector plate' extending from side to side of the back plateand concealing the arch plates.

3. A lighting fixture for nuorescent tubes comprising: a back plate; anend plate secured to the back plate at each extremity thereof; an archplate secured to the back plate: immediately insecured on each extremityof said back plate; a relatively flat, arcuately-arched member extending from side to side of the back plate in spaced relation to each endplate so as to leave a uniform slot between the two, said arched memberbeing provided with a plurality of spaced bolt holes along said slot; aplurality of tube receptacles extending outwardly through said slot; andbolts extending through said holes holding said receptacles in place.

6. A lightingxture for uorescent tubes comprising: a back plate;semi-circular end platesl secured on each extremity of said back. plate;a

relatively flat, arcuatelyarched member extending from side to side ofthe back plate in spaced relation toeach end plate so as to leave auniform slot between the two, said arched member relatively flat,arcuately-arched member extend` ing from side to side ofthe back platein spaced relation to each end plate so as to leave a uniform `slotbetween the two, said arched member being provided with a plurality ofspaced bolt holes along said slot; a plurality of tube receptaclesextending outwardly through, said slot;y bolts extending through saidholes holding said receptacles in place; a curved spacing plate withineach of said arch plates; and removable portions in one edge of saidspacing plate which when re- .moved provide notches for the reception ofthe receptacle brackets.

ANDREW o.

